The invention relates to a door device for a domestic appliance comprising a door, a handle element and a door-opening device for automatic opening of the door. The invention further relates to a domestic appliance, in particular an oven, having a door device of this type, and a method for actuating a door device for a domestic appliance.
Door devices for domestic appliances, for example, ovens, microwave devices, freezers, refrigerators or the like are known in many forms. In this context, the doors are provided for closing a cooking chamber or other storage chamber. Doors are known, in this context, which have at the front, on a front panel, at least one handle element which can be grasped by a user and can be manually actuated so that the door can be opened. Such handle elements usually project forwardly such that they require space and such that a user could collide therewith. Furthermore, such exclusively manually actuated handle elements require the application of a relatively large force to ensure opening.
Automatic door-opening devices are also known in the context of door devices for opening the door. For example, it is provided that by pressing an actuating element or an opening button, the door is unlocked and automatically opened, or springs open. Should said actuating mechanism or the electronics required therefor fail, opening can then only be performed by a service engineer or a customer service person. Furthermore, with electronic door-opening devices of this type which can be actuated by a user via an operating button arranged at the front side, no further actual handle element is provided. Operation is therefore user-unfriendly. Therefore for complete opening, the user must touch the front panel or the regions of the door not primarily provided for grasping, and fully open the door. In this way, the door becomes dirtied with finger marks and the like and must therefore also be frequently wiped and cleaned for hygiene reasons.
The conventional electronically controlled door-opening devices also have a very complex structure and a relatively long reaction time.